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Displaying blog entries 71-80 of 117

Blazers Pick Oden!

Monday, July 2, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Shawn Headlee
 
Hello All,
 
Big week for the Trail Blazers! I have not been this excited about the team for a long time. I really like the character of this team. Management has done a wonderful job of cleaning house. It may take a few years, but we will be in the playoffs again. SI.com had some great analysis of the draft. Portland was basically rated #1 for the moves and picks they made.
 
In the real world, people are remembered more for who they were and not as much for what they did.
 
Have a safe 4th of July!!
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Travel to PDX with Ease

Wednesday, June 27, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Cathy Hill
 
This past weekend, I visited with several of my college friends in the California Bay Area and the San Joaquin Valley. While I enjoyed living in northern California, I’m always so happy to come home to the beauty and quality of life we have here in Oregon. One of the things I appreciated most about my trip was the ease of getting to the airport using Tri-Met, Portland’s public transportation system.
 
I’m from Hawaii, which has an award-winning public transportation system called The Bus. When I was growing up, my mom, sister, and I took the bus everywhere. Last week, my trip to PDX involved hopping on the Max at the Sunset Transit Center. Getting to the airport cost me $2.00 and an hour of time, versus about $3.50 in gas, $50 in parking fees, and the immeasurable traffic frustration of a 4:00PM drive. The biggest dilemma we had on the ride that day was how to avoid the large bee buzzing around; such a small problem and such an easy trip! If you have questions about getting around Portland, call us at The Rob Levy Team – we’re always glad to help.
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Oden vs/ Durant! Who do You Think the Blazers Will Choose?

Tuesday, June 19, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Sandy Morley
 
Finally it looks like lady luck may have changed course for the Portland Trail Blazers after receiving the Number 1 Draft pick. The two biggest contenders for the position are Greg Oden, the 7-foot center from Ohio State and Kevin Durant who is a high-scoring Texas forward. The team is allowed two visits with each player before the June 28th draft and both are arriving this week for the first round of interviews and practice. The Trail Blazer’s GM Kevin Pritchard has said meeting with the two ball players in Portland this week will be the determining factor after a month of scouting and game-film study. He has also said he hopes to get to know the players as normal guys – to see if they laugh, have a sense of humor or take themselves to seriously. Last year the team chose Brandon Roy from the University of Washington - who proved to be a valuable choice when he was chosen Rookie-of-the-Year.
I think the Blazers will make the best choice possible – although my vote is for Oden. What do you think? It seems to be quite a buzz around town and season tickets are selling faster than they have in years. Maybe this year will bring back the spirit we used to have during the 90’s with players like Terry Porter, Clyde Drexler, Danny Ainge and Kevin Duckworth. Gotta love Rip City!
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Portland's Interest Rate Future

Monday, June 11, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Shawn Headlee
Hello all,
 
Hope you all had a great weekend!! Interest rates have been on the rise the last 3 weeks. They are at a 1 year high, which may not seem like much, but they have gone up every day but 2 over the last 3 weeks. This is a sign that they may keep going up or go down. :) I say this in jest because no matter what anyone tells you, they don’t really know what rates are going to do in the future. Of course we can all guess, but that is all it is. I am guessing from the information that I have read, that rates will continue to go up and level off in the 7% range for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. I feel this way due to the billions of dollar in foreign money that is getting out of our bond market and looking for better places to invest. This selling of our bond’s drives the price of the bonds down and the yields up, in turn, raising mortgage rates.
 
Have a great week!!
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Buy a Home in Portland and Sleep in the Safest City in America

Monday, June 11, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Bruce Hecht
Portland, Oregon can now boast that they have one of the safest cities in the entire United States.  I was working with some buyers this week that are moving here for this very reason.
 
The most recently released figures from the FBI, shows Portland Oregon's crime rate is at a 40 year low.  We can attribute that to many things: more police, more educated young people that filter out the people that cause crime, and the Downtown Portland Business Alliance hiring more security and street clean up people.

Portland, Oregon homeowners have always had more sense of pride and they carry that throughout their lives.  They carry that to the workplace and they carry it to their communities.  We have more alternative fuel vehicles on the road than any other city.  We have more people that wear their safety belts that any other city.  All of these factors, in some way, influence the crime rate.

So if you want to sleep the best that you can, move to Portland Oregon, buy a home and relax!
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Selecting a Real Estate Team!

Tuesday, May 29, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Sandra Hanis
 
It is an important decision who you choose to represent you as a buyer or a seller. On Rob Levy’s Team, each associate is experienced and knows the Portland market inside and out. We are backed up by a support team who takes the transaction from beginning to end…that translates to not missing a step for buyers and sellers in a very complex process.
We are prepared to work with your lender or we work very closely with Shawn Headlee of Columbia Mortgage who gets raving reviews from our clients. Shawn always treats our clients as he would his personal clients assisting them in finding the best loan for their situation and most importantly making sure our clients’ home closes when they need to!
We have worked with Fidelity Title for years to allow homes to close in a timely, professional manner. In the situation where you have a relationship with another title company, we respect that and will work with the clients’ needs first.
Prudential Northwest Properties offers a unique service to our buyers with Home Services. Our personal coordinators are there for you to assist with all kinds of related services to aid your move…whether you are in the Portland metro area or are working from long distance. Home Services has been invaluable so many times as they find reliable contractors for you, it saves you time…and they even offer a discount on services!
You can check out more valuable links at www.roblevy.com. Feel free to give us a call anytime for a complimentary estimate on your home or to speak with one of our experienced broker/agents. Maybe this is your year to make a real estate decision!
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Understanding Property Taxes and Terminology in Oregon

Tuesday, May 22, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Tamara LeMaire, Fidelity National Title Insurance Company
 
Property Taxes can be very confusing for home buyers.  Here is a brief explanation to help explain the way Oregon Property taxes work:
 
Oregon Property Tax are levied and become a lien on the property July 1st of each year with payments due November 15 of the same calendar year.   Taxpayers may elect to pay in thirds and if they do so, no discount is allowed, and the first one-third is due November 15th, the second one-third is due on February 15th and the final one-third is due May15th. A discount of 3 percent is allowed if full payment is made by November 15th; a 2 percent discount is allowed for two-thirds payment by November 15th. For late payments interest accrues at a rate of 1 1/3 percent per month and is assessed from the 15th to the 15th. Taxes are delinquent as of May 15 if not fully paid. Remember that although the taxes can be paid in one-third increments, that any unpaid taxes are a lien and need to be considered as such on a refinance or sale.
 
The tax year runs from July 1st to June 30th. Taxes are “certified” usually by October 15th, which means the values are set for the year. Taxes are due November 15th. When you pay in November you are paying for the previous July to the next June 30th.
 
You can appeal your property tax value from October 15th to December 31st of the tax year. To do this, you would appeal to the Board of Property tax appeals; sometimes called the Board Equalization. Call your county for details. Property taxes are still expected to remain current during this process.
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Why Buy a Home in Portland, Oregon?

Monday, May 21, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Bruce Hecht
 
Have you seen the latest real estate news from Portland Oregon?  The headlines
talked about the continued downtrend in the national market and that it is NOT appearing in Portland Oregon housing market!
 
It said that the real estate slump and downward trend that has been plaguing the nation, missed Portland and the Portland, Oregon real estate market continues to be active, strong and the buyers and sellers are still buying and selling homes.

Why?   Portland, Oregon real estate market continues to be the best buy and best kept secret on the entire west coast!  The greater western Washington market has not missed a beat either.  However, the average priced home in western Washington is almost double of the average priced home in Portland, Oregon.  The average priced home in California, even with their recent drops, is still approximately 2.5 times what it is in Portland Oregon.
 
The average buyer can still afford and buy a great home in great locations, near parks,water,libraries, shopping and mass transportation in Portland Oregon for a great price!



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Too Old to Play Basketball? Apparently I Am - But I Can Still Get You a Great Loan!

Monday, May 21, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Shawn Headlee
Hello all,
 
I was out most of last week due to reconstructive knee surgery. I had my ACL replaced... again. I had it done 9 years ago and thought I was going to be able to play basketball like I did as a youth - apparently I was wrong. I am still in recovery mode, but should be walking without a brace in a week or so. My surgeon, Brad Butler of the Orthopedic and Fracture Clinic is amazing if you need a good recommendation. 
 
As many of you may have noticed, rates have been inching upward due to some positive economic news.  The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage went up three basis points to 6.38% according to an article on HSH Associates Financial Publisher.  In the mortgage business, many lenders want the economy to do just poor enough that everyone still has jobs, but that the rates drop to stimulate a recovery.  This is what we saw happen in the first half of the decade and now that things are swinging upward the interest rates may begin to rise.
 
Have a great week!!
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Still a great time to buy a home or investment property in Portland Oregon, look at the #'s

Wednesday, May 16, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties

Submitted by Bruce Hecht

I found this great article by Dean Treftz from The Wall Street Journal Online to be very interesting discussing the national and local market trends.

Where Home Prices Are Hot Now Despite the Housing Slowdown

The housing news isn't all grim. Even as prices sag nationwide, there are several cities in the country where home values are climbing smartly.

Portland, Oregon, Boise, Idaho, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Houston, Austin, and Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C., are among the cities bucking the national trend. Homes' appreciation there between the fourth quarters of 2005 and 2006 far exceeded the national average of 5.9%, according to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

"All real estate is local, despite the headlines," says Lawrence Yun, the senior economist for the National Association of Realtors. Nationwide, the median existing-home price fell 1.3%, to $212,800 in February from $215,700 in February 2006, according to preliminary NAR statistics.

Most of the cities also have one or more strong industries to drive their economies, like Nike, Columbia Sportswear, Intel just to site a few examples. Their economies are strong and housing prices are still perceived as affordable, luring buyers into the market.

Today's declining prices nationwide are in part the result of an earlier explosion of short-term investors in Florida, California and other booming markets. Recently, both investors and long-term homeowners have been cashing in or cutting losses in formerly hot markets and settling in areas that avoided the boom, such as the Carolinas, parts of Georgia and Tennessee, areas of Texas, the Western mountain states and the Pacific Northwest.  The growth of Portland, Salt Lake City, Boise and Seattle can be attributed in part to an influx of former Californians and people opting out of slumping Las Vegas or Phoenix. The trend may have created smaller echo booms.

While some experts worry that a new group of states could face a boom/bust cycle, local real-estate agents and expert economists predict stable and steady growth for the near future. Since the cities have strong economies and builders, lenders and investors are increasingly cautious, homes are less likely to become extremely overvalued than in booming markets in the first half of the decade.


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Displaying blog entries 71-80 of 117

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